Knowing the Orchestra

The teacher will mark the students’ work based on the answer sheet, the model answers are all on there.

On the answer sheet it will also show how much points are for each question. Adding up the points give you the total score.

*The students are expected to use their own words. 

Answer sheet

Section 1 (4 families of the orchestra)

1. The string family: (3 points)

The string family is call sting family because all the instruments in it have strings.

You play the string instruments by drawing the horsehair bow or plucking the string

Three examples are cello, violin, harp

2. The woodwind family: (3 points)

The woodwinds are basically narrow tubes with holes. Many notes have little covers called keys. Long ago, this family’s instrument were made of wood. The wind part refers to air that’s blown through the instruments to make the sound.

Three example are saxophone, oboe, bassoon

3. The brass family: (3 points)

Brass instrument are made of brass. They can play the loudest of all the instrument in the orchestra. They are basically very long tubes with flared ends called “bells”.

You play a brass instrument by putting your lips into a cup-shaped mouthpiece and buzzing. This buzzing makes air vibrate down the long metal tubes and creates sound.

Three example are french horn, tuba, trombone.

4. The percussion family: (3 points)

The percussion family includes lots of instruments, from small to large and from simple to complicated. To play a percussion instrument, you hit it, shake it, or scrape it.

Three example are bass drum, timpani, cymbals.


Section 2 (language/terminology of music)

1. What is “language of music”? (1 point)

A language of music is a language provides a way for musicians talk to each other. Also, it’s a way to organize sounds.

2. Out of the 5 characters in music listed here, choose three and define it: Staff, clefs, time signatures, measures, note (3 points)

Staff- A set of five horizontal lines and four spaces that each represents a different musical pitch.

Clefs- A musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. (Table clef, Base clef)

Notes- The pitch and duration of a sound and also its representation in musical notation.

3. Give the definition of the vocabularies of music listed below: (10 points)

Tempo: It’s the speed of music. It can be slow or fast or in-between.Can change during the song. Influences how music sounds and feels.

Rhythm: It made up of sounds and silences. These sounds and silences are put together to form patterns of sound, which are repeated to create rhythm.

Pitch: In music, the sound of a note calls its pitch.

Melody: It’s a group of notes played one after the other. Melody is the tune.

Harmony: It’s a group of notes, expect these notes are played behind the melody. It will supports the melody and gives the music texture or mood.

Symbol: musicians use symbols to talk with each other about what and how to play 

List 3 symbols and give the meaning of each:

Instrumentation: deciding what instruments are going to play what parts and with what combination  of instruments 

Section 3 (conductors and composers)

1. What is a conductor? (1point)

A person who directs the performance of an orchestra or choir.

2. What is a composer? (1 point)

A person who writes music for the orchestra 

3. List 3 famous conductors that you like and what makes them popular (what are they famous for)? (3 points)

Leopold Stokowski: As a conductor in Disney’s “Fantasia”.
Marin Alsop: One of the few women conductors who have really make a mark on the international music scene.
Seiji Ozawa: As a Boston Symphony Orchestra music director.

4. List 3 famous composers that you like and their best work? (3 points)

Johann Sebastian Bach: Air on the G string.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No.40.
Ludwig van Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata.